Integrated wiring gun and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371974-B2
Application number	US-202318176633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2023
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

An improved perforating gun with novel endplates is disclosed along with a corresponding method of assembly. The endplate may include a base with first end separated from a second end separated by a curved sidewall centered around a longitudinal axis and a set of tube tabs flexibly coupled to the base and extending from the second end. The endplate may include a carrier tab with an integrated alignment pin. Selected embodiments may also include a zero-tension connector with a sliding contact mounted within a cavity of a housing, a through-wire connected to the sliding contact. The novel endplate reduces the cost and complexity of manufacture and installation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A perforating gun comprising:
a charge carrier comprising:
a first end and a second end separated by a curved sidewall centered around a longitudinal axis; and
a first plurality of tube tab receivers at the first end and a second plurality of tube tab receivers at the second end;

a first endplate releasably coupled to the first end of the charge carrier, wherein the first endplate comprises a first plurality of flexible tube tabs releasably coupled to the first plurality of tube tab receivers;
a second endplate releasably coupled to the second end of the charge carrier, wherein the second endplate comprises a second plurality of flexible tube tabs releasably coupled to the second plurality of tube tab receivers and a plurality of carrier tabs extending radially outward from an outer surface of the second endplate; and
a gun carrier tube comprising an inner surface and a carrier tab receiver disposed on the inner surface and configured to engage with one or more of the carrier tabs to releasably couple the second endplate with the gun carrier tube.

2. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the carrier tabs comprises an alignment pin.

3. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein the carrier tab receiver is an annular recess formed in the inner surface of the gun carrier.

4. The perforating gun of claim 2 , wherein the gun carrier tube further comprises a plurality of alignment pin receivers, and wherein a plurality of shaped charges mounted within the charge carrier are aligned with a corresponding scallop in the gun carrier tube by mating the alignment pin with a corresponding alignment pin receiver among the plurality of alignment pin receivers.

5. The perforating gun of claim 1 , further comprising a zero-tension connector coupled to the second endplate and comprising:
a housing with a first end separated from a second end by a sidewall;
a sliding contact slidably mounted within a cavity of the housing, wherein the sliding contact has a body with a distal end opposite a proximal end, wherein a portion of the distal end is exposed at the first end of the housing; and
a through-wire coupled to the proximal end of the sliding contact.

6. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of tube tab receivers and the second plurality of tube tab receivers are asymmetrically oriented around the longitudinal axis to correspond with the first plurality of tube tabs and the second plurality of tube tabs, respectively.

7. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein the second endplate further comprises a base and one or more structural supports fixedly coupled to the base and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis.

8. The perforating gun of claim 7 , wherein the one or more structural supports are configured to abut an inner surface of the charge carrier.

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Hardesty John Thomas
• Saltarelli Terrell
• Wesson David S

Classifications

• F16B2/04

  internal, i.e. with spreading action (F16B2/14 - F16B2/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/1185

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B43/11 Primary

  Perforators; Permeators · CPC title

• E21B43/119

  Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction · CPC title

• H01R24/38

  having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts · CPC title